Emergency nurses in the MedStar Washington Hospital Center Trauma and Burn Emergency Resuscitation Department advocate for victims of violence by identifying care gaps and building

MedStar Washington Hospital Center Trauma and Burn Emergency Resuscitation Department

external partnerships. Key collaborations include the Community Violence Intervention Program, which involves bedside advocacy and safety planning, and a law school partnership to co-develop protocols balancing law enforcement’s needs with patient rights and privacy. The team created a three-hour training on bystander advocacy and trauma informed care during police interactions in trauma bays. Outcomes include improved nurse confidence, better privacy protections, reduced disruptions and stronger community partnerships which extend advocacy beyond the bedside.

The 12-bed department’s “staff worked together” scores were flagged as an improvement opportunity. Using SBAR principles, the team took a “back to basics” approach to reinforce core teamwork and created a structured shift change huddle where the off-going charge nurse reviews each patient’s priorities, safety risks and special considerations. Throughout the day, the charge nurse conducts purposeful rounding to maintain real-time communication with surgical and trauma services and capacity management. All nurses train for the charge role which builds shared leadership. The efforts resulted in patient satisfaction with the care team increasing from 80.8 percent to 90.3 percent in 2025.